The present invention relates to a process of cleaning enamel surfaces with a liquid acidic composition.
Compositions for cleaning enamel surfaces are well known in the art.
Liquid compositions having an acidic pH for cleaning enamel surfaces have been extensively described in the art, especially in hard surface cleaning application (e.g., bathroom cleaner).
Indeed, it is known to use acidic compositions to clean enamel surfaces as such formulations show good soap scum removal performance and limescale removal performance. Soap scum and limescale are soils that frequently occur on enamel surfaces, especially enamel surfaces located in bathrooms, kitchens and the like.
However, there are some limitations to the convenience of acidic compositions employed as enamel surface cleaner. In particular it is know, that enamel surfaces are sensitive to acids and may be severely damaged by acidic compositions used to clean said surfaces.
It is thus and object of the present invention to provide a process of cleaning enamel surfaces with an acidic composition which is safe to said enamel surfaces while exhibiting a good cleaning performance on a variety of soils.
It has now been found that the above object is met by a process of cleaning an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe buffering system.
Advantageously, said process of cleaning enamel surfaces may be used on various enamel surfaces. Enamel surfaces can be found in various places, e.g., in households: in kitchens (sinks and the like); in bathrooms (tubs, sinks, shower tiles, bathroom enamelware and the like); in washing machines; and dishes.
A further advantage of the process as described herein is that the compositions used to clean enamel surfaces show good stain/soil removal performance.
More particularly, the liquid acidic compositions show good stain/soil removal performance on various types of stains/soils in particular greasy soils, e.g., greasy soap scum or greasy soils found in kitchens; limescale; mold; mildew; and other tough stains found on enamel surfaces.
EP-B-580 838 and EP-A-647 706 disclose hard surface cleaning compositions comprising a surfactant and optionally ammonium hydroxide as a buffer. However, said applications do not disclose a process of cleaning enamel surfaces with a liquid acidic composition as described herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,680 discloses acidic liquid detergent compositions comprising mixtures of organic acids, an ether of diethylene glycol and a surfactant.
The present invention encompasses a process of cleaning an enamel surface with a liquid acidic composition comprising an enamel safe buffering system wherein said buffering system comprises a salt having: an anion selected from the group consisting of hydroxide and carbonate; and a cation that has an ionic radius larger than 115 pm; with the proviso that no ethers of diethylene glycol are present in said composition.
In a preferred embodiment said cation having an ionic radius larger than 115 pm is selected from the group consisting of a potassium ion, an ammonium ion, a cesium ion, a barium ion and a quaternary ammonium ion.
In another preferred embodiment said composition further comprises a source of acidity.
In another preferred embodiment said composition further comprises a surfactant.
The present invention further encompasses the use of an enamel safe buffering system in a composition to clean an enamel surface wherein said buffering system comprises a salt having : an anion selected from the group consisting of hydroxide and carbonate; and a cation that has an ionic radius larger than 115 pm; whereby said composition is safe to enamel.